South Africa tour of India 2019
PM Modi Honoured with Oman’s Highest Civilian Award, Strengthens Strategic Partnership Between India and Oman
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the First Class of the Order of Oman, the Sultanate’s highest civilian honour, on Thursday, marking another major milestone in his global diplomatic journey. This recognition becomes the 29th international honour bestowed upon PM Modi, underscoring his growing international stature and India’s rising global influence. With this honour, he joins an elite list of world leaders and iconic figures such as Queen Elizabeth II, Nelson Mandela, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, Japan’s Emperor Akihito, and King Abdullah II of Jordan.
PM Modi arrived in Oman on Wednesday as part of the final leg of his three-nation tour. He was warmly received by Sultan Haitham bin Tarik at Al Baraka Palace in Muscat, ahead of high-level bilateral talks between the two leaders. The visit highlighted the deep-rooted historical ties and expanding strategic partnership between India and Oman, particularly in trade, energy, defence, and people-to-people relations.
A key outcome of the bilateral meeting was the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a landmark free trade pact aimed at boosting bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation. Both leaders expressed confidence that the agreement would significantly enhance trade volumes, strengthen supply chains, promote economic diversification, and generate employment opportunities. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said CEPA would unlock growth across major sectors and provide better market access for businesses in both countries.
The leaders also exchanged views on defence and security, energy, agriculture, technology, emerging sectors, culture, and regional and global issues. Earlier, PM Modi addressed the India-Oman Business Forum, where he highlighted India’s sweeping economic reforms over the past 11 years, noting that they have transformed India into one of the world’s most competitive and attractive investment destinations.
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